An early look at next season’s Western Conference contenders

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With the Dwight Howard sweepstakes complete, the real competition can begin — in roughly four months.

But players can begin signing on dotted lines Wednesday.

Trades can get NBA approval to become official. Rosters can take shape.

There will be changes, but with Wednesday’s whirlwind of transactions, it might no longer be too early to take a close look at the race in the Western Conference.

The Rockets’ roster could be tweaked further, but the odds are against widespread changes.

Despite center Omer Asik’s displeasure with being demoted to Howard’s backup, the chances are slim there will be a trade partner.

The Rockets would need a team that requires a center with Asik’s strengths and style and that has a surplus of power forwards who would improve the Rockets more than Asik does off the bench.

They would then have to be able to match salaries.

The Rockets could make additional moves, though their free-agent possibilities at this point will likely depend on someone’s accepting a smaller contract than might be out there elsewhere.

Still, the Rockets will be focused on the players they landed rather than those they hope to land.

Officially signing Howard will fall several notches down the Rockets’ to-do list.

The trades of Thomas Robinson and Royce White will have to be completed first.

Those moves will be followed by signing rookie guard Isaiah Canaan, with the Rockets needing to ink him before filling their space so they can do their usual multiyear deal with second-round picks.

The Rockets would then sign Omri Casspi and Francisco Garcia before signing Howard to his four-year, $88 million deal.

When the smoke from all that paper shuffling and faxing clears, it should reveal a large list of contenders.

While the Pacers and Bulls, improved with stars returning from injuries, and Boston-reinforced Nets chase the Heat, the West looks to have a long list of contenders, all likely to be separated by just a few games in the standings.